Asia is the most dynamic, populous and culturally diverse region in the world, and it is generally held that the 21st century is going to be Asia's century. But to sustain and promote the momentum of Asia's development necessitates the building of an Asian community with a shared future.

Today, enabled by China's foreign policy toward neighboring countries, the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative and the sustained regional cooperation in Asia, the concept and building of the Asian community with a shared future, which President Xi Jinping first proposed in 2015, has been advanced at various levels.

At the bilateral level, in 2018, China reached an action plan with Laos and Cambodia respectively to build a community with a shared future, setting an example for the whole of Asia.

At the sub-regional level, the leaders of China and the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations reaffirmed their commitment to their strategic partnership and the building of a community with a shared future at the 22nd China-ASEAN(10+1) Leaders' Meeting in 2019.

Regionally, at the fifth conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia in 2019, President Xi recognized the achievements of Asian countries in their moves toward building an Asian community with a shared future and further elaborated on how to build such a community. Moreover, China has also worked to promote cultural exchanges and deepen people-to-people bonds. In 2019, China hosted the Asian Civilization Dialogue Conference, in an effort to create a favorable climate for the building of the Asian community with a shared future.

Some issues, however, require special attention.

First, the security issues in Asia are complex and multifaceted, involving aspects such as ethnicity, religion, territorial disputes and terrorism. Conventional security concerns are interwoven with non-conventional ones, making it even harder to resolve them.

Asian countries therefore have to strengthen mutual political trust. Establishing a closer community would serve as an enabler for the resolution of disputes through dialogues and negotiations, in which related parties could be propelled to accommodate differences or put them aside, preventing any further aggravation of frictions and allowing more leeway to settle the disputes when time is ripe. If Asian countries seek a common set of ideals for security and resolve disputes in the Asian way, external intervention could be forestalled and the well-being of people in Asia secured.

Second is the promotion of sustained development. Unbalanced development remains a prominent issue in Asia and the reasons for this are varied. To sustain development at both the regional and country levels, Asian countries should forge a consensus to build the Asian community with a shared future, seek common development and common prosperity. At the regional level, Asian countries should, in the spirit of freedom, openness and inclusiveness, open up their markets, and facilitate the free flow of capital and human resources. In this way, the comparative advantages of all countries could be well-tapped. It is worth noting that the 15 countries participating in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership have concluded text-based negotiations and essentially agreed on all market access issues and they are expected to sign a pact this year. At the international level, Asian countries should stand firmly against unilateralism and trade bullying, and stand for multilateral cooperation to bring greater economic benefits for all.

Third, promoting more coordinated governance in Asia. Asian countries, to varying degrees, are haunted by issues such as trans-boundary water resource management and utilization, cross-border crimes and the proliferation of communicable diseases. No single country can solve these issues on its own and an enabling environment for development both in and outside the country is needed. This calls for strengthening coordinated governance. To this end, Asian countries should foster more innovative thinking and collective participation, put forward proposals that are in everyone's best interests and make sure that discussions lead to concrete decisions, decisions are implemented and effective implementation brings about changes.

Fourth, shouldering global responsibilities. In the world today, there are more drivers for economic growth than causes for conflicts. Asia, as the world's economic engine, is expected to shoulder more responsibilities to promote global economic growth. Constrained by relationships among Asian countries, the provision of public goods and services are more often delivered by one single country. Such a reality is at odds with Asia's overall strength and the expectations of the international community. If Asian countries harbor the collective will to build a community with a shared future, the community as a whole could contribute more Asian wisdom to reduce global poverty, tackle climate change, promote multilateralism and fashion a more equitable international order.

The endeavor to build an Asian community with a shared future is the natural result of Asian countries' self-exploration and a strategic decision to better adapt to the status quo and resolve the problems facing Asia. Such a choice balances both collective and country-specific interests, and accommodates all parties' inherent needs.

It is true that the building of such a community is still in its infancy. The challenges and potential obstacles going forward are enormous. But such efforts are of demonstrative value as more and more Asian countries, out of their inherent needs for common development, will choose to strengthen communication and collaboration, oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and work together to build the Asian community with a share future and strive for a brighter future for Asia as a whole.

The author is dean of the School of International Relations at the Beijing International Studies University.

The author contributed this article to China Watch exclusively. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of China Watch.

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